This blog is about new products and processes that are of use in technical theatre. From theory to practical, this blog will have a little bit of everything.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Cut List Programs

I was browsing Toolcrib this evening and found a blog entry about cut list programs (see link below). I thought it was worthwhile for a couple of reasons. First, while probably too time consuming for general shop use, it could be useful when using critical resources. Like for special prop piece that needs a $100 a sheet material.... Second it reminded me of our cnc machine that does this automatically (I learned this after I spent several hours arranging an entire job into 4x8 squares since the machines I had used in the past didn't have that feature). Third, it is actually an interesting thought process, both in the thought required to layout the materials in order to reduce scrap, and in cutting the material. For instance in the article I refer to below, there is a definite order in which you would want to cut the materials to ensure straight cuts.

Two concerns - one, which is compensated for within the program, is cutting thickness. Secondly, in critical applications I would be concerned about grain orientation. While this wouldn't matter in some situations, it can be critical in others.

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About Me

TD Tidbits started for me because I wanted a place to store and share information, ideas, products, resources, and technical solutions. A record of sorts of where I have been and where I am going, and an attempt to not lose all the insights, ideas, and products that I find while in a project. As each project is different, it can be tricky to remember that great product that you found for show x a year and a half ago. My hope is that this blog will not only help with that, but provide a resource to other that will help them as well. More about me can be found on my website: www.ljeanburch.com.

About TD Tidbits

As I have passed my 100th post, and it appears that its more than just me looking at this page I thought I would put a few disclaimers out there. Ideas, opinions and so forth are my own and not necessarily represent the company in which I work. Products and services that I recommend/link to/ or otherwise discuss are done so without any connection to said companies or products (other than being an end user). And while most of the stuff I blog about wouldn't pose a hazard if you tried it at home, before attempting any projects I might mention or recommend make sure you have all the info you need to go about it safely.All that said, I hope you find something useful or interesting as you read the site. If you have questions, concerns, ideas, I can be reached through email at ljeanburch@gmail.com.